New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-08-21

ously enough he also conveys the impression thas
the people themselves were chiefly interested In
the show and really cared very little for the mem
ory Of Napoleon. There was great deal Oh cheap
cstentation: bronze statues made OF plaster
golden Victories moulded of pasteboard; Imperial
nantes q spun glass. In short II must nave re-
scmhlciin many particulars the gorgeous and i'm
rosinc PROFESSIONS with which the prince OF
showu,eu' has faniliarized the American puohe'
17,n account Of the fight OF Louis Philippe Is
interesting. but il certainly should not have been
rlacyNi nrncn- things alleged 10 have been seen by
The writer. for il is entirely hearsay. Inc ueath
Of Ralracs is realistic and grim piece OF nara
tive. and here Hugo describes what he actually
saw. Tie great novelist, attacked by gangren''
ap,ars 10 have been almost deserted by his mousse
hold. Even his wife, SO long and tenderIy loved
bx lin i rot rcpreseuted as having had the eour-
=, :, s,a,. ny him 20 the end 1t is indeed singu-
la- ,bat though there are extant many descriptions
~ Ralzae's death. 10 one before Victor Hugo
sprre>tel the CHASTITY color be puts upon the scene
We must perhaps recall 70 mind the laeV lhat
though Hugo was a natural reporter II was almost
irnpo>sible for him 10 refrain from adding either
the picturesque or the sensational 70 Ms uesefIP
lions The circumstance that he mentions mat
tiers not spoken Of by any other witness OF uhe
scene is suspicious, and inevitably suggests a
doubt whether he may not have seen htte more
Ian 1as visible 10 the unpoetic eye. That Balzac
died in the manner described, generally speaking
: well Known, but that his disease rendered the
dcs,b-hcI>o offensive as 20 drive every one from II
nav. we axe inclined 70 think, be safely REGARDED
rs one Of Victor Hugo's improvisauons; 1t can
hardly he termed an establishment.
Irasmuch as several years are represented BY no
none than one OF two sketches each, Ii may larry
he concluded that Hugo's literary executors have
withheld much matter as inopportune or unde-
>irable which might naturally have found place IN
such a volume. The general arrangement hardly
iustiles the expectation t4at second series Of
-Cbo>es Vues- Is contemplated. and while the
nr,>eDt volume contains much which from the IA
,ure Of the case appeals more strongly % French
than 20 foreign readers the general Judgment out
side Of France is apt % he that the standard q the
selections Is rather low. In one respect in-eed'
there IS o noticeable Improvement. That esot.s1l
which WIS DEVELOPED 70 proportions so colossal IN
HUGO seems 20 have been somewhat reSiraincl II
these sketches OF course 1t Is present, as III al
Lis writings, hut be does not ohr-Ic himself Is IL
many Other PLACES, and this Is relc. 70 be thank
lul foE. ~ 10 the English translation, II Is only
fair AMI ne odd blgnlers indicate TIE haste win
which II Was made. thus. n the Flight O. LOUIS
P,ilirre II tutoya.t AUST IN pcu le roi,7 IS
tran, 'a;ol-- lie also tutored' the King Speak
izc u q door ia tle Conc.er-,iie HUGO writes:
ON Tava.t hasb1ulllee dune aas,use pei1t1re
couleur naukin.7 This i rendered: II was
aaui,l over with o fearful Eankcen-ooloscd PIC
tu-e~ Where such bl-nters epQear - casual -
specton il may fairly be concluded that there are
more Of tlc KIM. and therefore II i safe rcc-
concentration 10 the reader % prefer tie original
French 10 tie translation wherever II Is atIain-
able